The AKS Final Rule creates new safe harbors for entities participating in a value-based enterprise (VBE) and amends existing safe harbors. Stark Law - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics In June 2022, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) released OIG Advisory Opinion No. et al. These are two critical questions that must be answered. To accommodate patient surge, a hospital rents office space or equipment from a physician practice at below fair market value or at no charge. \end{matrix} On November 20, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a 627-page final rule which will serve to modernize and clarify Stark Law regulations. 5, A regular assessment should be conducted to determine if the healthcare transactions are commercially reasonable. Stark Law: Clarification of Key Terms - Dinsmore & Shohl LLP Stark defines fair market value (FMV) as ______________________________ . Also, a quantitative analysis of revenue cycle should be conducted to determine if the anticipated transaction acquires any referrals during the process and to ensure that healthcare organization complies with the regulatory statutes. The key elements of a robust FMV practice continue, however, to evolve. Three new safe harbors for remuneration exchanged between or among participants in value-based arrangements: Value-based arrangements with full financial risk. 3. On the other hand, an arrangement must be considered fair market value in order to be commercially reasonable. The Stark Law (42 U.S.C. Home Fair Market Value and Commercial Reasonableness Applied to Healthcare Transactions, An Informational Article 411.356 Exceptions to the referral prohibition related to ownership or investment interests. Use Superior Corporation's trial balance and financial statements from the previous Work Together exercise. According to CMS, we continue to believe that the fair market value of a transactionand particularly, compensation for physician servicesmay not always align with published valuation data compilations, such as salary surveys. New Stark Regulations Further Clarify Definitions of Fair Market Value The following requirements must be bet under this exception: While this exception may be utilized in various situations, it is likely another exception, depending on the arrangement, would be more appropriate. Strategy, market growth, and larger referral bases were not among the examples. Stark 101 for Physicians - KJK | Kohrman Jackson Krantz HIPAA Compliance 03: Privacy Rule Introduction, Administrative, Physical and Technical Safegu, Compliance - Documentation, Billing and Reimb, HIPAA Compliance 04: Protected Health Informa, Calculus for Business, Economics, Life Sciences and Social Sciences, Karl E. Byleen, Michael R. Ziegler, Michae Ziegler, Raymond A. Barnett, Fundamentals of Engineering Economic Analysis, David Besanko, Mark Shanley, Scott Schaefer. Catherine Short converses with Rachel V. Rose, JD, MBA, principal with Rachel V. Rose - Attorney at Law, P.L.L.C. As stated above in our discussion of fair market value, CMS continues to make it clear that the commercial reasonableness determination is also accomplished through consideration of an arrangements context and from the perspective of those involved. 411.353 Prohibition on certain referrals by physicians and limitations on billing. Commercial Reasonableness Analysis for an Increasingly Regulated Healthcare Environment | BDO Healthcare Industry Blog . While this exception may be utilized in some instances, it is likely organizations will utilize the employment exception or personal services exception. 411.357 Exceptions to the referral prohibition related to compensation arrangements. Because of increased enforcement, it is very common for organizations to work with legal professionals who specialize in fair market value and the Stark Law for the purpose of creating compliant and defensible financial arrangements. This has also been true in markets in which the demand and competition for CRNAs has exploded. Below is a listing of some of the key changes: For those in the physician and APP compensation valuation arena, and for any hospital or health system that compensates a health care provider for administrative and/or professional services (which would be all hospitals and health systems in the country), there are other aspects of the Stark Law revisions that are of particular interest. The Stark law does maintain a definition of fair market value but it does not dictate actual numbers. The writing specifies the compensation that will be provided under the arrangement. The Stark Law defines FMV as "the value in arm's length transactions, consistent with general market value". New Value-Based Exceptions. The Final Rule provided key guidance on the "Big 3" Stark Law requirements of (1) fair market value; (2) commercial reasonableness; and (3) the volume or value of referrals. The "value-based arrangements exception" to the Stark Law protects value-based arrangements that are set forth in a writing (signed by the parties) that details the following: the value-based activities to be undertaken under the arrangement; how the value-based activities are expected to further the value-based purpose(s) of the VBE; 2021 Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute: Fair Market Value Impact | HSG Documenting the organizations goals with the arrangement or transaction must be a priority. Instead, it is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industrys salary and production survey data. Bob concentrates his . Eliminating the period of disallowance rules and correcting discrepancies during the arrangement. Federal physician self-referral prohibition (42 USC 1395nn. Refines when a physician practice is required to sign a recruitment agreement between a hospital and a physician as well as timing issues for arrangements between a physician and non-physician practitioner (NPP) when a hospital is involved in compensating the NPP. Stark Law - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf Healthcare organizations should consider both qualitative and quantitative components for FMV and commercial reasonableness analyses of financial transactions. Q & A: Self-Referral/Stark Law And Anti-Kickback Regulations Clarifies the period of disallowance for referrals and billing following a self-referral law violation, the satisfaction requirements for set-in-advance compensation, when an entity may direct a physicians referrals to a provider, the requirement for exclusive use of office space/ equipment, and the exception for payment by a physician to an entity. All Rights Reserved. Some of those include organizations that have been charged even with compensation levels that are not above the 90th percentile. have been significantly impacted by decreased patient volume. In fact, studies done by the government in the 1980s and early 1990s discovered that this was a real issue and it not only represented a significant increase in costs but also created significant patient risk. It is inaccurate for a hospital or health system to believe that just because base compensation is below the 75th percentile there is no risk and that the compensation they are providing is automatically fair market value. a non-profitable arrangement) may present a problem, it is not expressing a definitive opinion on the matter as each arrangement is facts and circumstances specific, and it could see certain arrangements with facts and circumstances whereby a non-profitable arrangement is commercially reasonable. It is important to maintain documents of services provided by healthcare professionals and have agreements in writing, along with documents supporting the financial transaction at FMV, for actual duties performed to standardize financial transactions and to prevent violation of fraud and abuse laws. The concept of fair market value under the Stark Law is different than the concept of fair market value in an otherwise normal business arrangement (where parties do realize they can generate business for one another). Many individual physicians believe that fair market value is met so long as relevant benchmarks exist. Q. Considerations for Determining Fair Market Value Physician Compensation The same is not true for physicians and other entities when the Stark Law applies. "General market value" means the price that an asset would bring as the result of bona fide . In healthcare, the patient would have received the care regardless of the physician and the complexity of healthcare with patients moving to different sites of service and within different specialties creates impossible scenarios for tracking who is responsible for what. CMS Releases Several Stark Law Waivers for Use during the COVID - Mintz Executive Session: Fair market value and the shift to value - MGMA The law makes it a criminal offense to knowingly and willfully offer, pay, solicit, or receive anything of value (not just money) in order to induce or reward referrals or the generation of business paid for by federal healthcare programs. They must demonstrate that the net earnings of a tax-exempt organization are not used for private interests of employees and are used for the benefit of the community as a whole. The 2021 Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute: Fair Market Value and Commercial Reasonableness (American Health Law Association Publication) Noteworthy 2021 stark law revisions and modifications: specifically areas impacting provider compensation and transactions valuation. An assessment of transactions should be done to analyze if it is reasonable to pay for the services in the first place, in order to prevent violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Specifically, the Final Rule includes new or modified regulatory definitions for the terms "commercially reasonable," "fair market value," and "general market value" as well as terms particular to the definition of a "Group Practice."